ALBERT PARK1886

Title

The Albert Park Lagoon.

Description

In 1864 the Park was proclaimed a public park and named Albert Park in honour of Queen Victoria’s devoted consort, Prince Albert. Over the ensuing years Albert Park was used as a tip, as a camp for the armed services, for scenic drives and for many forms of recreation.

Now home for the Australian Grand Prix.

Painter, teacher and writer. Studied in England and France and came to Australia in 1878 and became an influential member and supporter of the Arts community and established the Sydney Art School that survives today as the Julian Ashton School of Art.

This engraving is from the Picturesque Atlas of Australasia which was the most ambitious publishing venture in Australian history up to the 1900s. It was conceived and financed by American publishers under the name of the Picturesque Atlas Publishing Co Limited, Sydney and Melbourne. Its ambitious aims of using the best artists, the best paper, the finest printing engraving techniques and for it to be the most comprehensive survey of Australia's colonial history ensured that it inevitably was doomed to be a financial failure. The legacy that it left on the other hand was some of the finest engravings and maps printed in Australia in the C19th.

BOTANIC GARDENS1880

Title

Government House

Description

This superb engraving is from the original edition of The Graphic, a English newspaper which began in 1869 until 1932. Started by William Luson to compete against the established Illustrated London News, it employed some of the best artists and was an immediate success. The Graphic's influence within the art world was immense, its many admirers included Vincent Van Gogh.

BOTANIC GARDENS1889

Title

Government House, Melbourne.

Description

This scarce engraving is from the original edition of the Illustrated London News which was established by a printer and newsagent, Herbert Ingram (1811-1860). The first issue came out in 1842. It's success was due to the fact that the stories were usually accompanied by engraved illustrations many of the colonies.

CARLTON1886

Title

Melbourne Exhibition Building

Description

One of the few remaining exhibition buildings in the world.

This rare engraving is from the Picturesque Atlas of Australasia which was the most ambitious publishing venture in Australian history up to the 1900's. It was conceived and financed by American publishers under the name of the Picturesque Atlas Publishing Co Limited, Sydney and Melbourne. It's ambitious aims of using the best artists, the best paper, the finest printing engraving techniques and for it to be the most comprehensive survey of Australia's colonial history ensured that it inevitably was doomed to be a financial failure. The legacy that it left on the other hand was some of the finest engravings and maps printed in Australia in the C19th.

CARLTON1886

The Carlton Gardens.

Built for the International Exhibition of 1880, the buildings originally covered the whole of the park. Only the magnificent Neoclassical Main Hall remains.

Smedley was an American artist who studied at the Pennsylvania Academy and also in Paris under Jean Laurens. He came to Australia and worked as an illustrator before returning to the USA.

This engraving is from the Picturesque Atlas of Australasia which was the most ambitious publishing venture in Australian history up to the 1900's. It was conceived and financed by American publishers under the name of the Picturesque Atlas Publishing Co Limited, Sydney and Melbourne. It's ambitious aims of using the best artists, the best paper, the finest printing engraving techniques and for it to be the most comprehensive survey of Australia's colonial history ensured that it inevitably was doomed to be a financial failure. The legacy that it left on the other hand was some of the finest engravings and maps printed in Australia in the C19th.

CHURCHESST PAULS

Title

St. Paul's Church from South End of Swanston St. Melbourne.

Description

One of the most important colonial painters & chroniclers
of life during the gold rush. Represented in all major art
gallery collections. He died destitute on the steps of the
Melbourne Post Office. Original steel engraving.